I've been up and away for quite some time now and had my own reasons to do so apart from the usual, of course - being lazy. The last two months have been crazy - filled with all sorts of emotions possible, boredom, speculation, anxiety, dejection, self-realization, ditching, being ditched, joy and what not!

My last post reads about how I was getting to know the "real" society we live in closely and here I am now, comfortably away from it. Having chosen to become a part of the mere periphery of this society. For the sake of a comfortable career, I distanced myself from all the drama, dejection and drudgery (if you may call it).

Two months ago, I was a journalist. Today, I am rubbing shoulders with corporate big-wigs, unlearning the art of being sensitive and training my mind to become as snobbishly professional as possible. But then, there are moments of course, special moments where I wonder if all this change was worth it, if I have done the right thing and most importantly, will I ever be able to make friends again. Luckily, I really dont have any reasons to regret and I'm quite loving this challenge to fit in here.

Three weeks into this new corporate world taught me one thing (apart from million other corporate jargon ) - that once you're out of school/college, dont expect to find friends in aloof colleagues, being sensitive doesnt help and people will deceive you in order to get ahead! I guess, I'm still getting used to this hard fact.

I miss the people I befriended during my college days. At work, I wish I could just simply get away from the laptop, chuck those heels and formals and meet up with them in jeans and chappals. And I know I will have to keep bumping into them to keep my sanity alive.

Too much of update about me. On second thoughts, I wonder how many of us forget to live for the sake of earning a living. How many of us cancel our meet-up plans with old friends for the sake of catching up on sleep, finishing pending work etctera. How many of us yearn to find genuine, smiling, trustowrthy friends/mate while leading a workoholics life but are not able to come across many or at times, even one? I've realized there are many such people like me! Pretending to be insensitive coz of the cold vibes they get from others but who cherish their old friends like gold.

Thus, there are a few changes I've decided to incorporate in my life which I think are more essential than getting a nice job, a fat salary and a successful career. And yes, I speak from experience.

Give a polite smile to strangers if I happen to make an eye-contact with them. (There is nothing more reassuring than to bump into a stranger, even for a minute, and realise that they like to see you as you are)

Not to make assumptions about anyone. (Because I really dont know what their journey has been all about)

Forgive but not forget. (because If I forget, I'm bound to repeat the mistake again)

Respect people and their choices in life, no matter how terribly different they might be from yours. (Because one would hate to be in a world where everyone was alike, duh, what about surprises?)

Try to be a lil more calmer, happier and make peace with what I've got in life. (Do I really need to explain this one? ;))

Keep my friends, my loved one close and ignore the male and female bitches and the negative energy they bring along with them. (That is my tried and tested mantra for happiness.)

So, what is it that motivates you to be happy or seems like a way to become a better person?

Would love to know.

The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be ~ Marcel Pagnol